In order to improve magnetic storage device performance, capabilities, and price per unit of data storage, magnetic media areal density continues to increase. Smaller and smaller magnetic sensors are needed to accurately read data from the increasingly dense magnetic media. However, as the magnetic sensors shrink, variations in the magnetization direction of the magnetic layer(s) of the magnetic sensors increase. Structures that maintain or improve the stabilization of the magnetic layer(s) of the magnetic sensors within the increasingly smaller overall magnetic sensor packaging requirements are disclosed below.